They will curse you with power, hope, and love.
They will bestow you with fragility, despair and loathing.
-excerpt from Iadaelus’ Journals.
Enix and &#+$ panted, carrying >&@#$%< in between them. Enix tried not to look at his friend's wounds and tried to ignore his friend's blood that stained his clothing. Tried to ignore &#+$’s broken arm. They needed shelter
He had come too close to losing. He wasn’t strong enough, and because of that, he had almost lost everyone.
He might still lose >&@#$%<.
Enix shook his head. He couldn’t afford to think like that now. Now, he had to focus on keeping them alive.
”&#+$, stop.” Enix said. They had stopped at a small grove with an outcropping of rocks that Enix thought he could turn into an appropriate shelter. He turned to his metallic companion. “Dig.”
Enix carefully extracted >&@#$%< from &#+$’s hold, and she collapsed, cradling her arm. Enix himself used Vice to cut down branches from nearby trees. It was dusk by the time he and Ingot finished making the pile of rocks into an adequate shelter, with the rocks as a roof above them. Ingot had dug a deep hole inside, mounting the dirt on the entrance, making it narrow enough for two of them to squeeze through. In the meantime, Enix tore pieces of his clothing, separating the wood into two piles, one of which consisted of relatively straight sticks and wood. He carried them inside the small shelter, then stepped out to drag >&@#$%< as carefully as he could while &#+$ maneuvered on her side on one arm, still cradling the other to her chest.
Inside, it was wide enough for them all to fit comfortably but stout enough to where Enix was hunched over, with his shoulders touching the rocks. He moved the rocks with his Stoneskin and made a few strikes to allow a hole at the top. With that, he dug a dip in the center of the shelter and organized the wood from one pile to be lit. He made a makeshift but rigid splint with the straight stick and the torn clothing strips. He helped &#+$ put it on her arm and tightened it gingerly.
”Nice work. You learn fast.” &#+$ grunted, looking over his work.
”What can I do for him?” Enix looked at >&@#$%<, at the blood that ran from his head and his twitching.
After the hill had disappeared from beneath them, a much larger Beithir had sprung out. It had taken all three of them to fight it off, with Ingot helping to get the monster’s attention away from them. However, it had launched bolts of electricity out, and while Enix was in front of &#+$ and able to withstand it, >&@#$%< had been hit, launched, and landed headfirst. Enix shuddered at the memory, the sound of >&@#$%<’ head cracking. Enix wasn’t entirely sure what happened after, only that he had struggled to escape inside the Beithir.
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“Hey.” &#+$’s voice snapped Enix back to the present, and he met her eyes. Despite the pain, her eyes were set on his. “He’ll pull through; we all will.”
”Can we do something to help?”
”No. Not right now. We just have to ensure he can rest. If it's something he can pull back from, it’ll be with time and rest. Make sure his body isn’t disturbed by anything.”
Enix nodded.” Ingot.” He called his large companion, lying down, nestled close to >&@#$%<. “Guard him.”
Ingot didn’t move but rumbled a response and moved its heavy tail, curving it around >&@#$%<’ legs.
”You know we wouldn’t have gotten out of it if it weren’t for you.”
Enix whipped around to look at &#+$.
”Did you hit your head, too?”
”I mean it.” She breathed out a soft laugh. She was about to say more when they both heard a groan from >&@#$%<, and Enix rushed over as &#+$ sat up. >&@#$%< was trying to wipe the blood from his forehead, succeeding only in lifting his arm just for it to fall onto his face with a smack.
”Hey, stop.” Enix said, wiping at >&@#$%<’s forehead with his sleeve. He was surprised when >&@#$%< did his best to push him off, nearly succeeding. He said nothing, only grunting, but Enix saw his eyes on &#+$.
”Stop!” Enix said louder, holding >&@#$%< down with his body weight. “She’s fine, you’re not. You need to rest, and so help me. I will tie you up to ensure that happens!”
>&@#$%<’s eyes finally landed on Enix as if he had snapped out of something. He relaxed, and Enix let him go.
”Now, if you’re done wasting time, we need food, and I know what we can and can’t eat around here. I’m going to leave. Are you going to move?” Enix glared at the injured boy, who shook his head feebly. “Good. If I return and you’ve moved, I’ll have Ingot sit on you.”
Enix left quickly, trying not to laugh at the indignant expression on the boy’s face. He nodded to &#+$, who nodded back as she leaned against the rocks of the shelter.
Enix didn’t take long to forage for food, and an idea had occurred to him. He dropped off the food at the shelter and lit the sticks in the center as night fell, keeping them warm. The smoke left through the hole in the rocks above them. As he left, the same thought kept nagging at him.
I must focus on keeping them alive; I know someone who might have an answer.
It had been years since he had visited, but Enix could still navigate back to the horrible place. He went through the forest, down the cliff, and past the statues. By the time he arrived, it was nearly dawn.
Enix walked straight through the massive stone doors to the foot of the tree. There, lying at its roots with its six limbs torn off, was Enix’s old mentor.
His old tormentor, Ghiri.
Welcome, young one. Welcome back to the Foundry.